Numbers 4:17-27

17 ADONAI said to Moshe and Aharon,

18 "Do not cut off the clan of K'hat from among the L'vi'im;

19 rather, do this for them, so that they will live and not die: when they approach the especially holy things, Aharon and his sons are to go in -and you are to assign each one his task;

20 but the descendants of K'hat are not to go in and look at the holy things as they are being covered; if they do, they will die."

21 ADONAI said to Moshe,

22 "Take a census of the descendants of Gershon also, by clans and families;

23 count all those between thirty and fifty years old, all who will enter the corps doing the work of serving in the tent of meeting.

24 "The Gershon families are to be responsible for serving and for transporting loads.

25 They are to carry the curtains of the tabernacle, the tent of meeting, its covering, the fine leather covering above it, the screen for the entrance to the tent of meeting,

26 the tapestries for the courtyard, and the screen for the entrance to the courtyard by the tabernacle and around the altar, along with the ropes and all the utensils they need for their service; and they are to do the work connected with these things.

27 Aharon and his sons are to supervise all the work of the Gershon clan in transporting loads and serving, and to assign them who is to carry what.

Numbers 4:17-27 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO NUMBERS 4

This chapter relates an order to number the Levites fit for business, and gives an account of the time and age when they should enter into service, and how long they should continue therein, Nu 4:1-3; what their particular service should be; and first of the Kohathites, Nu 4:4-20; next of the Gershonites, Nu 4:21-28; and then of the Merarites, Nu 4:29-33; after which Moses and Aaron, with the chief of the congregation, numbered each of them, even as many as were at the age fit for service, as the Kohathites, Nu 4:34-37; the Gershonites, Nu 4:38-41; the Merarites, Nu 4:42-45; the sum total of which is given, Nu 4:46-49.